After today’s announcement that the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) will begin the process of shutting down the Northern Metals Recycling facility in North Minneapolis, Senator Bobby Joe Champion (DFL – Minneapolis) gave the following statement:

“I commend the MPCA for making the appropriate moves to stop operations at Northern Metals. This facility has caused enough distress for the residents of North Minneapolis, so it’s about time its deceitful business practices are put to an end. Northern Metals has been lying to the MPCA and the people of Minneapolis about the facility’s role in polluting the air for years. This company has repeatedly violated state air quality standards near the site and actually had the audacity to play victim when the MPCA tried to take action in the past. The permit revocation process will take some time, but we will not back down. North Minneapolis residents value our community, so if you’re a company that places profit over people’s lives, you’ve come to the wrong place. After years of a rightfully concerned community calling for the end of this facility, the people have been heard. Good riddance, Northern Metals.”